Commercial Space News

European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

ESA selects Ariane 6 for HENON CubeSat launch to demonstrate future solar storm monitoring

ESA has chosen Ariane 6 to launch its HENON CubeSat mission, aimed at demonstrating a future capability to monitor solar storms. The launch will carry a deep-space smallsat payload designed to validate space-weather observation concepts.

2 Sources

2026-07-16T08:16:12.287228-07:00

Payload

Mission Authorization Hearing Puts Office of Space Commerce Framework Costs Under Scrutiny

2 Sources

2026-07-16T05:51:40.939117-07:00

Space.com

SpaceX Starship Flight 13 readies first Starlink V3 deployment and 21-satellite U.S. military “Tranche 1 Transport Layer” launch

4 Sources

2026-07-16T03:17:02.860166-07:00

Inflight Online

Atlas V completes Amazon Leo’s final mission as constellation grows to 396 satellites

1 Source

2026-07-16T02:46:41.654651-07:00

Commercial Space Industry (New Space) News Timeline

European Spaceflight

2 sources

ESA selects Ariane 6 for HENON CubeSat launch to demonstrate future solar storm monitoring ESA has chosen Ariane 6 to launch its HENON CubeSat mission, aimed at demonstrating a future capability to monitor solar storms. The launch will carry a deep-space smallsat payload designed to validate space-weather observation concepts.

2026-07-16T08:16:12.287228-07:00

ESA selects Ariane 6 for HENON CubeSat launch to demonstrate future solar storm monitoring

Payload

2 sources

Mission Authorization Hearing Puts Office of Space Commerce Framework Costs Under Scrutiny A hearing on the Office of Space Commerce’s framework for novel mission authorization turned into a debate over whether the office can afford to implement the approach. The proceedings highlighted funding and budget constraints as a central gating factor for execution of the authorization process.

2026-07-16T05:51:40.939117-07:00

Mission Authorization Hearing Puts Office of Space Commerce Framework Costs Under Scrutiny

Space.com

4 sources

❗️

SpaceX Starship Flight 13 readies first Starlink V3 deployment and 21-satellite U.S. military “Tranche 1 Transport Layer” launch SpaceX is set to fly Starship on Flight 13 (today, July 16), deploying the first Starlink V3 satellites as part of the company’s ongoing Starlink expansion. Concurrently, SpaceX will launch 21 additional U.S. military “Tranche 1 Transport Layer” data-transport satellites. Starlink is nearing 10,839 working satellites in orbit across the fleet.

2026-07-16T03:17:02.860166-07:00

SpaceX Starship Flight 13 readies first Starlink V3 deployment and 21-satellite U.S. military “Tranche 1 Transport Layer” launch

Space.com

None source

SpaceX will launch Starship, the world's largest rocket, on critical Flight 13 test today. Here's what to expect.

2026-07-16T03:17:02.860166-07:00

SpaceX will launch Starship, t

Inflight Online

1 source

Atlas V completes Amazon Leo’s final mission as constellation grows to 396 satellites Amazon’s Project Leo constellation expanded to 396 satellites following a 29-satellite Atlas V launch, which marked the completion of Atlas V’s final Leo mission. The deployment sequence is positioned to transition toward Vulcan-powered high-rate rollout and initial service operations.

2026-07-16T02:46:41.654651-07:00

Atlas V completes Amazon Leo’s final mission as constellation grows to 396 satellites

SpaceNews.com

10 sources

❗️

SWISSto12 closes €61M ($70M) Series C to scale small GEO satellite and multi-orbit payload production Swiss space startup SWISSto12 has closed a €61 million (US$70 million) Series C, as it scales its multi-orbit payloads and small GEO satellite platforms. The funding is intended to expand production capacity using its technology—including 3D printing—to meet rising commercial and sovereign demand for in-orbit infrastructure.

2026-07-16T00:04:43.512436-07:00

SWISSto12 closes €61M ($70M) Series C to scale small GEO satellite and multi-orbit payload production

SpaceNews.com

None source

Swissto12 raises $70 million to accelerate small GEO satellite production

2026-07-16T00:04:43.512436-07:00

Swissto12 raises $70 million t

SpaceNews.com

1 source

Commercial Space Federation launches State and Local Council to tackle US commercial space capacity constraints On July 15, 2026, the Commercial Space Federation (CSF) announced the launch of its State and Local Council (SLC), a new membership body aimed at convening state and regional stakeholders. The group will address the industry’s most pressing capacity challenges and align regional capabilities to strengthen the national industrial base.

2026-07-15T11:15:57.805657-07:00

Commercial Space Federation launches State and Local Council to tackle US commercial space capacity constraints

Create a free account to see more recent Commercial Space Industry (New Space) clusters.